This evening, Serena Williams plays 19-year-old American phenom Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. The two played for the first time just three weeks ago in Brisbane, when No. 3 Williams cruised past No. 25 Stephens, 6-4, 6-3. But tonight's match has something of a different tenor to it, in part because it's a much bigger stage, but also because—for some reason that sportswriters just can't work out quite yet—Sloane has been deemed something of a "protégé" to the elder Williams. Why?

I would need a better definition of the word mentor. I just feel like being the older one, probably some of the younger players look up to me. It's hard to be a real mentor when you're still in competition.

But surely there's a kinship, yes? Surely there's a connection between you and Sloane that's led people to believe you're a mentor of some kind? How did you the two of you become friendly, anyway?